Kaohsiung City official detained on corruption allegations

2012/05/23 21:22:46

Kaohsiung, May 23 (CNA) A Kaohsiung City government official was detained Wednesday on suspicion of corruption, the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office said.

Prosecutors said the official surnamed Wu is in charge of an auto repair plant under the city government's Environmental Protection Bureau, which is in charge of the maintenance and repair of garbage trucks in the city.

The plant is required to turn in the proceeds from the sale of redundant vehicle parts and components while old tires should be recycled, in accordance with regulations.

But investigators found that Wu had instructed several workers at his plant to sell the scrap metal parts, tires and recycled engine oil to private operators, and had collected several millions of dollars for the employees' welfare committee, prosecutors said.

After the committee was disbanded in 2008, Wu continued to ask the workers to sell the scrap items, prosecutors said. He used some of the money to pay for lunch boxes and drinks for the employees and kept the rest for himself, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors detained and questioned five workers in relation to the case, but released them all on bail of NT$50,000 (US$1,691) each.